WeMoms
2 Apr 2024

Pushing Positions

Childbirth
Stages of labor
Pushing Positions
When it comes to labor and delivery, finding the right birthing positions can make a significant difference. Different positions can help open the pelvis, encourage baby's movement, and ease discomfort during contractions.
In this article, we'll explore various birthing positions recommended by experts to assist you in choosing the most comfortable and effective positions during labor and delivery.
During Labor
1. The Hands and Knees Position
  • Get down onto your hands and knees to open the pelvis and facilitate baby's descent.
  • This position can be especially helpful if the baby's heart rate needs monitoring or if the baby is not in the optimal spot.
  • Pros: Relieves back pain, may improve baby's oxygen level.
  • Cons: Your arms may tire over time.
2. The Sitting Position
  • Choose to sit down, either on a birthing chair or a toilet, to alleviate pelvic pressure.
  • Ideal for resting and can still be used with fetal monitoring machines.
  • Pros: Good for resting, relaxes the perineum, reducing tearing risk.
  • Cons: Uncomfortable with a hard toilet seat, may not be suitable for those with a history of high blood pressure.
3. Birthing Ball Positions
  • Utilize a birthing ball in various ways, such as sitting, rocking, leaning, or using it as support while squatting.
  • Excellent for women seeking movement in their hips during labor.
  • Pros: Helps move baby into a favorable birthing position, relieves back pressure, encourages dilation.
  • Cons: Can be challenging to maintain balance in some positions.
4. The Squatting Position
  • Try squats against a wall or with the support of a chair or partner during contractions.
  • Opens the pelvis and provides space for the baby to maneuver toward the birth canal.
  • Pros: Helps open the pelvis, gives baby room to maneuver.
  • Cons: May become tiring over time.
5. The Side-Lying Position
  • Rest on your side to give your body a break during labor while helping the baby move into the optimal position.
  • Side-lying with a peanut-shaped birthing ball between the legs can aid baby's descent and rotation.
  • Pros: Facilitates oxygen flow to the baby, useful for high blood pressure cases, promotes relaxation during contractions.
  • Cons: Difficult to assess fetal heartbeat in this position.
6. The Upright Position
  • Embrace gravity by standing, walking, swaying, or leaning on a partner for support during labor.
  • Upright positions can relieve backaches, reduce contraction pain, and encourage baby's movement into the birth canal.
  • Pros: Relieves backaches, less painful contractions, encourages baby's descent.
  • Cons: Not recommended for high blood pressure cases, requires telemetry unit for continuous fetal heart rate monitoring.
7. The Lunging Position
  • Incorporate lunges into your labor positions, using a chair for support.
  • Lunging helps baby rotate or descend, providing more space in the pelvis.
  • Pros: Facilitates baby's rotation and descent, opens the pelvis.
  • Cons: Requires a partner's assistance for balance.
8. The Stair-Climbing Position
  • Climbing stairs can encourage baby's movement and progress labor if it starts to slow down.
  • This position helps push baby down and aids in rotation for a better birthing position.
  • Pros: Opens the pelvis, encourages baby's descent, promotes dilation of the cervix.
  • Cons: Can be tiring, particularly after prolonged labor.
Best Birthing Positions
When it's time for the final stretch of pushing, consider these best birthing positions:
1. Squatting Birth Positions
  • Squats are excellent for dilation and decreasing the need for certain delivery tools.
  • Pros: Decreases reliance on forceps or a vacuum, aids dilation.
  • Cons: Not suitable if baby's position doesn't align well with squatting.
2. Reclining Birth Positions
  • Reclining can release tension and relax muscles, providing an alternative for tired mothers who don't want to lie down entirely.
  • Pros: Relaxes muscles, alternative for tired mothers.
  • Cons: Works against gravity.
3. Birthing Stool Positions
  • Use a birthing stool for various positions, including squatting, leaning, or rocking back and forth.
  • Pros: Helps baby descend, relieves back stress, increases cervical dilation.
  • Cons: May lead to increased blood loss.
4. Birthing Bar Positions
  • The birthing bar is an attachment added to labor beds for support.
  • Pros: Expands the pelvis, uses gravity for pushing baby down.
  • Cons: Availability might vary between hospitals.
5. Kneeling Birth Positions
  • Kneeling can help baby turn into the proper position if they're facing the mother's abdomen.
  • Provides relief from contraction pain and eases back pressure.
  • Pros: Relieves pain, eases back pressure.
  • Cons: Continuous fetal monitoring may be challenging.
A
Aja
27 Dec 2023

Hello ladies! I am on baby #3 and I did epidural with both my other babies. I want to go natural with this baby, what are some suggestions you would give me to get through the pain? And also, are there any pushing positions you all suggest? # 24weeks

Childbirth Stages of labor
5 comments
C
Caitie
I know you can request to get nitrous oxide to help with anxiety and help with the pain during labor
27 Mar 2024

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M
Mara
Movement is your best friend. I paced through the contractions, I rocked gently, and oddly enough the downward facing dog position works great. Just remember to not forget to breathe. I have not position recommendations because he slipped out on the way from triage to the delivery room 🤣. I'm going natural again this time also but I will have a water birth.
27 Mar 2024

Answer

R
Redcityfreak
26 Oct 2023

Everybody want that epi for pushing but the contractions are the worst part. Pushing felt good 2 me and is the part im looking forward to. 😊😊😊

Childbirth Stages of labor
22 comments
ƈ
ƈơrąƖıŋɛʂɱơɱɱ♡♫☻︎♪
Hell yeah i wanted the epi. Not for pushing but for everything lol. I’m not trying to feel that kinda pain if i don’t have to! No shade girl. Just me
27 Mar 2024

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J
Jané
I got the epi so I can sleep!
27 Mar 2024

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T
Tia
25 Jun 2023

One more time yall just tell me 1 more time 😭 . How do the pushing part feels? I heard the pushing part the easiest , its the contraction

Childbirth Stages of labor
33 comments
A
Ashontia
Pushing just feels like you got to take a shit but it wont come out at the time you want it to😂😂
27 Mar 2024

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M
Myreonna
Depending on how big the baby is lmao. I damn near had a heart attack pushing my baby head and shoulders out. Shit stressed me out bad lol but it’s all worth it and soon as baby come out you gone forget the pain you went through.
27 Mar 2024

Answer

L
Lesly
27 Apr 2023

This is my first pregnancy and I’m starting with twins, I’ve been thinking about my birth plan (ofc Ik sometimes it doesn’t go as planned) but I been seeing a lot of things about how pushing on our back is least convenient for us etc. I told my OB this and she seemed annoyed, she said I can technically give birth however I want but that there’s no real evidence that other positions are better. Has anyone pushed in another position besides back ?

Childbirth Stages of labor
3 comments
O
Olivia
I’m not so sure this is my first but I’m going to be trying to push in squatting position so gravity can help me ! I’ve been reading a lot on it even a mid wife was telling me it’s not the best for women to push on their back and it looks so painful to me 🥺💛
27 Mar 2024

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L
Lesly
Same ! I wanted to squat or kinda like a leaned forward position on my knees because on my back just seems too hard, even if it means I need a lower dose epidural or to not get one at all, I feel like I can do it 😣
27 Mar 2024

Answer

D
Danielle
14 Jan 2023

what are some positions to deliver? i know i'm far from giving birth but i really don't want to push on my back

Childbirth Stages of labor
2 comments
T
Tatyana
Squatting or on all fours,
27 Mar 2024

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M
Martha
I was sat up almost vertical and lifted so even though I was on my back I wasn't laying down
27 Mar 2024

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